Self locking device



Nov. 10, 1931. w, F, HECKMAN 1,831,001

SELF LOCKING DEVICE Filed Aug. 23, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 In van for 27 /V////Q/7 //60fi/Wd /9 A ftorney Nov. 10, 1931. w HE KMAN 1,831,001

SELF LOCKING DEVICE Filed Aug. 23, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I n vemfor WWW/4m F/ /w/MM QZM A ttorney Patented Nov. 10, 1931 UNITED STATES WILLIAM F. HEGKMAN, ornnwrom', .xnnrucxv 'sELr LOOKING DEVICE Application filed August 23, 1929. Serial No. 387,956;

. i This invention relates to window screens, and has more particular reference to a locking device for locking the window screens in a closed position. V

A still further object of the invention is to provide a lock for window screens, which :is automatic inits operation and which includes a rack bar adapted to be secured to the ide of thewindow screen, together with a pivoted latch member carried by the screen at the lower end thereof, said latch member be 'ing spring'pressed and adapted to automat cally engage'the rack bar when the screen is lowered to a closed position for maintaining the screenin said closed position.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an automatic. locking device for screens and similar closures, such as windows and the like, adapted to be attached to the window screen and arranged in such a manner as 'toprohibit the operation of the looking device by anyone outside of the house.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a locking device of the character above mentioned which is simple in construction, strong and durable and clearly reliable, practical and eflicient in operation, and otherwise welladapted for the purpose designed.

Other objects and advantages of the inwvention will become apparent during a study of the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings,

wherein i r Figure 1 is a front elevation of awmdow screen equipped with a locking device constructed inaccordance with the present invention. v I v I Figure 2 is a horizontal fragmentary detail 0 sectional view taken substantially on line 2-2 of Figure 1, in-the direction of thearrows.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary detail sectional view of the latch memberfully illustrating the construction of thesame and its applicationfto thescreen. s V Figure 4 is a side elevation of a sleeve on v part ofthe present invention. v

v Figure 5 is a perspective view of the 5 screen.

Figure 6 is a, perspective .view of the ratchetbar. to ,5 l 4 Figure 7 is an elevational view of a modified form of vautomatic locking device, the screen and one of the guide' members therefor being. shown fragmentarily to better illustrate the applicationof the invention. V

Referring more particularly to the drawings, it will be seen that the reference character 5 designates generally an ordinaryfor conventional window frame, tothe vertical side members of whichare attached in the usual manner the angular shaped channel screen guide members 66.7 The screendesignatedgenerally by thereference character 7 is preferably of the roll type, and the roller thereof is securedin a suitable casing 8 mounted in the upper end; ofthe window frame The screen 7 has its side edges slidable in theguides 6 and at its lowerend the 1 screen is provided, with the usual'weather stripping 9. At itslOwer end, and extendingtransversely thereof above the weather strip 9 the screen 7 is provided with asomewhat T-shaped elongated bar or platelO, the horizontal flange of which constitutes a ledge 11; v Secured tothe screen guides 6' adjacent the lower end of the guides and spaced upwardly from the [ledge of thewindow frame are the ratchet bars 12"1'2. The ratchet bars 12 -42 are somewhat elongated, and are secured to the guides in. any suitable manner so as toextend laterally therefrom as shown. The teeth of the ratchet bars are beveled on opposite sides and are somewhat V-shaped incross' section fora purpo h inafter presented. y

Extending inwardly from the outside of the screen at each end of the, plate 10 is a stud 13, which stud has its enlarged head countersunk in the frame of the sliding screen 7, said stud extending throughthe frame and the end of the plate 10 to terminate in a cylindrical socketed extension 14.

This extension 14 is reduced as clearly shown to advantage in Figure 3. Mounted onthe reduced extension of the stud is a sleeve or thimble 15 which is reduced as at 1.6.- On its PATENT-OFFICE enlarged portion, the thimble 15 -is provided w p a yi i ra i l s k sjtlfi said enlarged portion is also provided on one end of the thimble with a radial groove 18. A specially constructed coil spring 19 of a construction shown to advantage in Figure 5 is convoluted about the enlarged portion of the sleeve as shown in Figure 3. One end convolute of the spring terminates in a laterally extending finger 21, receivable in the groove 18 of the thimble. On its reduced end 16, each of said sleeves has mounted for pivotal movement thereon a latch member designated generally by the reference character 22, this latch member 22 comprises substantially fiat-plate-lilee portion 23 provided with a somewhat centrally disposed aperture through which 'the reduced portion 14 of the sleeve extends and a 'bolt 24 is threaded in the socketed extension 22 is provided at one lower corner thereof with a downwardly extending projection or stop 25 adapted to rest on the ledge 11, while obliquely to the stop 25, the plate 23 is provided with an inwardly and upwardly inclined extension 26 terminating in a substantiallyhorizontal concave finger plate 27. Above the stop 25, plate of each of the latch members is provided witha sharpened rack engaging tooth or extension 28. On its inner face and adjacent its upper edge the plate 23 of the latch members is provided with an inwardly extending socket 29 within which is received'the hook of the spring 19 for normally maintaining the stop against the ledge 11 with the result, that when the screen 7 is lowered to a closed position, this action of the spring against theplate will normally urge the finger 28 of the plate into engagement with one of the teeth on the respective rack bars 12 thus automatically locking the screen in a lowered position.

The radial sockets 17 in the sleeve 15 are for accommodating any suitable tool for ro tating the sleeve for adjusting the tension of the'spring 19, it being apparent that rotation of the sleeve in a proper direction will cause an expansion of the spring to facilitate the drawing of the hook end 20 of the spring into the socket 29 of the latch member.

In that embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 7, instead of the latch members 22, I may employ a latch member as therein illustrated and designated generally by the reference character 29. The latch member 29 consists of an elongated rectangular plate 30 adapted to be bolted to the end of the screen plate 10 as at 31. Formed integral with the plate 30 on'the outer face thereof, and extending longitudinally thereof from one end to the other intermediate the longitudinal side edges of the plate is a suitable housing 32 of substantial rectangular configuration in cross-section, or which may be of any desired cross-section. At its inner end the housing 32 is opened, to permit the ejection therethrough of one end of a slide bolt 33. A spring 34 is arranged in the rear end of the housing 32, one end of the spring impinging against therear wall of the housing, and the opposite end impinging against the inner end of the side bolt 33 for normally urging the bolt outwardly of the housing. The housing 32 on one wall thereof is provided with an elongated slot 35, while the bolt 33 is provided with a suitable finger pin 36 extending through and slidab-le in slot'35, to facilitate the retractionof the bolt against the action of the spring manually, whereby the beveled pointed extension or locking finger 37 on the outer end of the'boltmay be withdrawn out of engagement with the teeth of the rack plate 12 to permit of the raising of the screen.

It is to be noted that the finger extension 37 of the bolt is beveled inwardly toward the lower edge or face of the bolt, in order that the screen may be lowered to its fullest extent or completely closed position without the extension 37 offering any opposition to the lowering ofthe screen as it passesover the teeth of the rack bar 12.

WVhen the screen equipped with this form of my invention, is lowered to its fullest extent the bolt 33 will be forced outwardly of the housing through the medium of the spring 34 automatically .to engage with the teeth of the rack bar 12 thus automatically locking the window screen in its lowered position.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided an improved automatic locking device for retaining window screens in locked closed position, and that the locking device is so arranged on the screen as to be operable only by those inside the dwelling,

and that further hampering of the locking device will be prohibited to others on the outside of the dwelling attempting unauthorized entrance to the dwelling.

Even though I have herein shownand described the preferred embodiment of my in vention, it is to be understood that the same is susceptible to changes fully comprehended by the spirit of the invention as herein described, and the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my inventiomwhat I wish to claim as new is v 1. A locking device for window screens comprising a; stud, means for fixedly mounting the stud on the window screen, a sleeve ,on

said stud slidable relative thereto, a bolt threaded axially into saidstud and having a head engageable with one end of said sleeve for forcing the same in one direction relative to the stud for frictionally 'retaining'said sleeve against rotation relative to said stud,

a latch member mounted on said sleeve for rotation relative to said sleeve, a spring'convoluted about said sleeve and having one end anchored to the sleeve, the other end of said spring being connected with said latch memher for normally urging the same to rotate in one direction.

2. A locking device for closures and the like comprising in combination a fixed stud, a sleeve su ported on said stud, means en- 1 gageable wlth said stud and said sleeve for frictionally retaining'said sleeve against rotative movement relative to the stud, saidmeans being movable axially relative to said stud, a latch member rockable about the axes of said sleeve relative to the sleeve, a spring member engaging said sleeve and said latch member and normally urging said latch membar in one direction of rotation, and means for limiting swinging movement of said latch member in said one direction.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

WILLIAM F. HECKMAN. 

